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Coffee 



ITS HISTORY AND ALSO ITS 

REMARKABLE GROWTH 

IN THE WORLD OF 

COMMERCE 




Thomson & Taylor 

Spice Company 

Chicago 



Copyrighted 1898 by Thomson & Taylor Spice Co. 



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Have you heard of the T & T brand of Coffee sold in cans? 3 

THE THOMSON & TAYLOR 
SPICE COMPANY^Mf^^^ 

IMPORTERS 
OF COFFEES 
AND SPICES 

Michigan Avenue and Lake Street 
CHICAGO 



CHE above firm, established in 1865, has had, under many adverse circum- 
stances, an almost phenomenal success. In 1869 fire in an adjoining build- 
ing destroyed their premises and machinery. The great fire of 1871 again 
wiped them out, but in forty-eight hours other premises were secured and their 
business was virtually uninterrupted. Their present build- 
ing, 88x130 feet, seven stories and basement, on one of 
the most prominent corners of the city, is replete with 
the latest machinery for the roasting and grinding of cof- 
fee. Their coffees are roasted in the flame of purified gas, 
and are far superior to those roasted by the old process 
of radiated heat. Their spice and flavoring extract de- 
partments are supplied with everything required for the 
turning out of the finest goods at the minimum of time 
and cost. Each department is in charge of an expert 
having many years' experience in— h4s chosen field of 
labor. This firm import their coffees and spices from the 
producing markets. 







CHAPTER I. 
THE HISTORY AND GROWTH OF COFFEE. 




I S T L S for two, and coffee for one." Though now- 
adays it is coffee for the whole world, and peacefully, 
too. We have gotten past the combative age, — at 
least past the age of pistols, and have our coffee with- 
out warlike accompaniments ; but, nevertheless, the 
mention of coffee arouses thoughts and ideas far dif- 
ferent from those that spring up on hearing the word 
tea, or the meaningless one, chocolate. Tea has its 
history; we can go back to the beginning of written 
or even of traditional history, and we find the Chinese 
drinking tea. The Chinese are not mysteries to us ; 
they were too methodical, and have too much history 
to be entertaining. They tell us too much, and leave 
too little for our imagination. Tea, therefore, though 
one of the most gossipy of drinks, awakes nothing in 
us save a desire to be confidential, and to chat. 

Coffee, on the other hand, spurs us on to deeds. 
It stimulates the lagging energies with something 
more than simple cheer. It banishes cold and allays 
our cravings for food, makes our nerves firm and our 
heads clear. And for its power we fear it. Perhaps 
we are more than usually respectful toward it because 
it has only come to our notice in comparatively recent 
times, as time goes. And more than that, coffee was 
first brought from the wild hills inhabited by a wild 
and warlike race, — the Abyssinians. They must have 
known of it long before it came to the notice of the 
Arabs, for it grew wild on their hills, the rocky soil 
of which is peculiarly favorable to its growth. 
In the Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris is an old manu- 
script 



Has it occurred to you to try the T&T brand of Coffee? 



/ 



manuscript which contains the statement, that the use 
of coffee was known as early as 875 A. D., over a 
thousand years ago. But this manuscript is not ex- 
plicit, and throws very little light into the haze of 
romance that surrounds the birth of coffee. 

One legend says that when the pious dervish Hadji 
Omar fell under the ban of the people of Mocha, and 
was driven forth in the year 1285, A. D., to perish in 
the wilderness, he roasted some of the berries that 
grew wild in the thickets, and some of them accident- 
ally fell into the water which he had collected for coffcc 
drinking. He failed to notice it for some time, and "J^tS; 
when he did, lo ! coffee was discovered. He stole 
back into Mocha, proclaimed his discovery, and the 
Mochans, who knew a good thing, took him back in- 
to favor, and made a saint of him on the spot. 

Another story gives credit to the friar of a monas- 
tery for the first use of coffee. The friar had great 
difficulty in keeping his monks awake during devo- 
tions, and on being told by a goatherd of the exciting 
effect, produced on his goats by eating coffee berries, 
he decided to try them on his charge. He did so with 
admirable results and thus was discovered the great 
stimulating effects of coffee, which prepared the' way 
for its world-wide popularity. 

A more authentic account is given in a manuscript 
published in 1566 by an Arab sheik, which states 
that the learned sheik Djemal-eddin-Ebn-Abou-Alfagger 
brought coffee from Abyssinia to Arabia, in the neigh- 
borbood of 1400 A. D., and still another treatise^ 
places the date at which the Arabians found out its 
good qualities, about a century after. Some accounts 
say that it came direct from Abyssinia or Ethiopia to 
Arabia, and others give the Persians credit for having 
had the first taste of our familiar beverage, though 
I believe it was first used by them for medicinal pur- 
poses. Certain it is, however, that the introduction 
of coffee into the Mohammedan countries met with a 
great deal of opposition. One party contended that 
the roasted berry was a kind of coal, and the Prophet 
had very sensibly made it a law that coal should not 

be 




Have you tried the T & T brand of Coffee sold in cans? 







be eaten by his people. Another party maintained 
that it was an intoxicant, and as the Koran prohibits 
the use of intoxicants, it could not be partaken of by 
the faithful. However, it was soon discovered that 
coffee was neither a fuel nor an intoxicating bever- 
age, and so it came into general use. It began to be 
cultivated in Yemen, in southern Arabia, and for two 
centuries the entire supply of ihe world came from 
there. Even today the celebrated Mocha, or Mukha, 
comes from Yemen. 
In 1554 coffee houses were opened in Constantino- 

• pie, which for just a century had been in the hands of 
the Turks, and from thence it was carried to Venice 

^in 1615, though it was not generally known of there. 
A Frenchman, de la Haye, should really have the credit 
of its introduction into Europe, he having brought it 
to Marseilles, together with apparatus for making the 
infusion, and slaves to do it, in 1644. Strange to say, 
the Parisians did not get a taste of the strange eastern 
drink for nearly twenty-five years afterward, though 
Thevenot, the traveller, brought it there in 1658. The 
Ambassador who came from Constantinople to Paris, 
in 1664, began to give coffee parties, and they soon be- 
came the rage, so that about 1690 a Florentine, one 
Procope, had a coffee-house, or cafe, which was the 
lesort for the celebrities of the day, including 

Voltaire. 





0E-LR-* 

HAVE-* 

INTRODU 

CES-COF 

FEET* in 

to* MAR 

SEILLES- 

IN-- • 

.1644- 

♦-A-D-* 



Have you got tired 
trying to find 
good coffee? 



DON'T GIVE IT UP, 

BUT ASK YOUR GROCER 
FOR THE 



?<!^S^!^€^^$J^$^^?^^ 



IT. & 

BRAND 

sold only in 2-lb. cans 



Thomson & Taylor Spice Co. 
Chicago 







K\ 



"A little nonsense now and then, 
Is relished by the wisest men" 

CHERE is no room for argument on 
that question. But speaking of 
relishes, there is no nonsense about 
good coffee. At the matinal meal it 
fortifies one against the arduous du- 
ties of the day, and its fragrance in 
the evening makes one forget the 
cares and annoyances that he has 
been subjected to. We are speaking, 
however, of : : : : 

GENUINE 
COFFEE... 



not of any substitute for it, BECAUSE 
there is none, and the nonsense is 
that any one can be found who 
believes there is. Nor is there any 
nonsense about the T. & T. Brand of 
Coffee. It is a : : : : 

| GENUINE 

I NECTAR.... 



^€€€€€€€€€€§€S£^€€€€€€€€€€€€€£ 



Why not try the T & T brand of Coffee sold in cans? 



England preceded France, however, in the coffee 
house, one having been opened in London, in St. 
Michael's alley, Cornhill, by Pasqua Rossie, a Greek 
from Smyrna, in 1652. Of course the establishment 
of coffee houses at this critical period made trouble, 
and though Oliver Cromwell, who became Lord Pro- 
tector in the following year, made no serious objection 
to them, Charles II. did, and in 1675 proclaimed 
against them. In his proclamation he said that "the 
retailing of coffee might be an innocent trade, but as 
it was used to nourish sedition, spread lies and 
scandalize great men, it might also be a common 
nuisance." However, as in other places, common 
sense triumphed, and the coffee house became an 
institution. 

In 1690 the governor general of the Dutch East 
Indies planted a few seeds in his garden at Batavia, on 
the island of Java. The seeds sprouted and the plants 
flourished, so that Governor Van Hoorne commenced 
the cultivation of them. One of these Javan plants 
was sent to Holland, and it continued to flourish in 
the botanic garden in Amsterdam, so that some of 
its seeds were sent to Surinam, in Dutch Guiana, in 
1718. From there the plant spread, and now the 
progeny of that single plant that was sent from Java 
to Holland in 1691 or 1692 produces more coffee than 
is produced by all the other plants in the world. 

In our own country coffee was known as early as 
the beginning of the eighteenth century. Naturally 
it came over with the aristocratic governors of the 
colonies, and the old Krieger's Tavern of New 
Amsterdam became the King's Arms Tavern of 
colonial New York, and the " Burns' Coffee House" 
of later times. 

Under the roof of Burns' Coffee House, on the 
3lst of October, 1763, was passed the resolution to 
import no more goods from England until the stamp 
act was repealed. Thus was a coffee house the cradle 
[of American Independence. Is it any wonder that 
we are the greatest nation of coffee drinkers ? Ought 
we not to drink coffee ? And is it strange that with 

the 




THE.-DVTCH- T F\ !<.£ - T O- ] 



iO 



Connoisseurs all use the T & T brand of Coffee. 




the name coffee should come thoughts of pistols ? This old 
tavern stood until i860, when the New York Central railway 
company took it away to make room for a freight house. 

Then there were other coffee houses of note in New York. 
There was the old Merchant's, on the southeast corner of 
Wall and Water streets, which was the political head- 
quarters of colonial times and the days before our govern- 
ment was fully on its feet. It was burned in 1804. Fraunces' 
Tavern, where Washington bade farewell to the officers of 
the army in 1783. was famous in lower New York, and the 
Tontine Coffee House, across the street from the Merchants', 
was equally well known. William Niblo, the founder of the 
Garden which bears his name, was one of the.succesful 
coffee house proprietors of old New York, his establishment 
having been on the southeast corner of Pine and William 
streets. 

So thoroughly was coffee interwoven with our early 
history, that the cocktail, which is supposed to be our 
national drink, should, in justice to ourselves, be dethroned 
from its position, and the beverage which stimulates without 
intoxicating should be raised to its rightful position. I am not 
sure but that Hadji Omar should be made our patron saint, 
inasmuch as he was said to have been the one who, among 
Caucasians, first tasted the drink which cheered our great 
men during the times of the revolution. 

But it was in France that the most luxury was found in 
connection with coffee. Louis XIV., the " Grand Monarque," 

did 




Ask your grocer for the T & T brand of Coffee. 



11 



did much to encourage the use of the bever- 
age. He sent some plants to the French 
possessions in the West Indies,and from the 
Martinique plants immense crops came. 
Louis XV followed in his ancestor's foot- 
steps to such an extent that it took about 
$15,000 a year to supply his daughters with 
enough coffee for their personal needs. 
Louis XVI, his successor, was guillotined just 
at the time that the consumption of coffee in 
France was at its height, that is, at the be- 
ginning of the revolution. Here, again, 
comes the idea of pistols. It was in front 
of the Cafe de Foy, the oldest coffee house 
in the Palais Royal, that the French revolu- 
tion was inaugurated. 

Imagine the scene. The usual crowd of 
politicians gathered at the cafe, drinking 
their strong black coffee, and discussing 
the terrible state to which France had fallen. 
The Bastile was filled with political pris- 
oners; men who had been sent there for no 
worse crime, perhaps, than drinking coffee 
at some place where some plot had been 
fomented. The mob began to gather out- 
side the doors of the cafe, and low mutter- 
ings were heard. Indoors sat the fiery Des- 
moulins drinking cup after cup of the bitter, 
black draught that the French know so well 
how to brew. As he drank more and more 
he was impelled to action, and suddenly he 
sprang up, overturning his cup, and dashed 
out into the street. Kicking the crowd 
aside, he mounted a table and began a 
powerful harangue. The mob listened, 
cheered, and were fired to a pitch of in- 
tensity hardly to be imagined. The crowd 
in the cafe dashed out, some of them with 
their coffee cups still in their hands, over- 
turning the tables and then was heard the 
awful cry, " On to the Bastile," that ushered 

in 




OESnOULfNS- MAR/VN6UiN€,«THe«noe 
JULY* 14- 173V BErORC- THE.* C\F£>> DU 
irov. PARiS.oTHt-OAY'Or.THt*. 



Epicures all drink the T & T brand of Coffee. 







in the French Revolution, and gave Napoleon his opportunity 
And now, throughout the entire world, coffee may be saic 
to be the principal beverage. For a century and a half, th< 
student of the deeds of men will find coffee inseparably con 
nected with every political convulsion. He will not find te; 
or whiskey, chicken or roast beef so thoroughly mixed u\ 
with the making of history as is the Arabian drink that cam< 
from somewhere, since the Turks took Constantinople, anc 
this, of course, was one of the events of modern times. 

The most active principle of coffee is caffeine; it contain: 
also certain oils which no doubt have a share in its action, 
Nearly two score years ago a claim was made that green o: 
unroasted berries had a great value in liver and kidney 
troubles. By one physician they have been used very ex 
tensively, and he is quite enthusiastic over them in that clas: 
of diseases. He prefers a mixture of two parts Mocha wit! 
one part Martinique and Isle de Bourbon coffee. He put: 
about three drachms of this in a tumbler of cold water, an( 
lets them stand and infuse over night. The next morning 
after straining, the infusion is taken on an empty stomacl 
directly after getting up. This physician cites man; 
cases of kidney and liver colics, diabetes, nervous headache 
etc., which, although rebellious to all other treatment fo 
years, soon yielded to the green coffee infusion. The remed; 
is a very simple one and certainly worth a trial. Anothe 
use of coffee medicinally is in nausea or retching. For tha 
purpose a strong infusion is made of the berries which hav 
been ground and roasted; and it is sipped while very hoi 
This oftentimes acts exceedingly well; and rather better if : 
strong mustard plaster is applied to the pit of the stomacl 
at the same time. 




'porgive and Forget" 

is a good maxim. So for- 




give the fellow that sold you 




poor trashy coffee at a low 




price, and don't forget to ask 




your grocer for the 






T..&T. 




Thor 


BRAND OF 

VSTED COFI 

Sold only in 2-lb. cans. 
You will never forgive 
yourself if you don't .... 

nson & Taylor Spic 

CHICAGO. 


e Co. 



Give your friends a 
treat 

to a cup of 

COFFEE 

made from the 



T. &T 



BRAND 



and you will surely secure 
their lasting friendship 



£ £ A 



SOLD IN SEALED CANS, 2-LBS. 
EACH, AND YOUR GROCER 
WILL SUPPLY YOU IF YOU 

INSIST 



Thomson & Taylor 5pice Company 

CHICAGO, ILL. 



Insist on having the T & T brand of Coffee. 



15 




CHAPTER II. 



HOW AND WHERE IT GROWS. 



iOFFEE flourishes all over the tropical zone. 
It is indigenous to Africa, but as it grows with 
equal luxuriance in Arabia, Java, Central 
America and Brazil, it can hardly be said that 
any one side of the globe is especially adapted 
to its growth. The plantjsjQne Qf the most beautiful in nature, 
rivaling the purely ornamental growths. It grows in the form 
of a rather low and slender tree, when in the wild state, but 
under cultivation it is kept down to a height of six feet on an 
average, for greater convenience in picking. The leaves are 
of a dark green, resembling the common laurel somewhat, 
and the flowers, much like those of the white jessamine, lie 
close to the stem, in the angles of the leaf-stalks. These 
flowers emit the most entrancing perfume. The odor 
excels even that of the orange blossom, and is most de- 
liriously aromatic, this slight impression of pungency quite 
taking away the heaviness that accompanies the odor of the 
orange or the jessamine. The flowers are short-lived, some- 
times fading away in as short a space of time as six hours; 
but sometimes, while the first crop of berries is maturing, a 
second growth of blossoms appears, fully as fragrant as the 
first. This is especially the case with the Arabian coffee. 

The fruit of the coffee tree is not unlike a cherry, though, 
as a rule, somewhat smaller. There is a variety of coffee, 
however, grown in Costa Rica, the fruit of which is as large 
as a small plum. The Liberian coffee, too, has a large berry. 
Inside the bright red skin of the fruit, there is a yellow fluid 
surrounding the bean, or the seeds. These seeds, which are 
the coffee as we see it, are firmly glued together, one pair to 
each berry, and surrounded by a peculiar membrane. The 
berries are known to be ripe when they have assumed a 
dark red, almost a purple, color. 

The coffee plant requires plenty of moisture for its leaves, 
but its roots must be kept comparatively dry, therefore it 

thrives 




16 





thrives best in a porous 
soil, in hilly country 
where the drainage is 
good, and where it can 
receive frequent show- 
ers. Mr. Richard Villa- 
franca, of Costa Rica, 
says that while a very 
excellent quality of cof- 
fee is produced by slow 
growing plants, yet the 
plants require so much 
care, and there is so 
small a yield, that it is 
better to have a more 
rapid growing plant, 
and devote more care 
to the curing and prep- 
aration for the market. 
It is said by some that 
the superior excellence 
of the Mocha coffee is 
due principally to its 
careful curing. 

On account of the del- 
icate nature of the flow- 
ers, and the peculiar 
condition of the ground 
in which coffee thrives 

best, the plantations require to be shaded. I have seen coffee 
plantations that would attract the attention of the traveller 
as cocoa plantations, banana fields, indeed, almost anything 
but what they were, for it is the custom, in the western 
hemisphere at least, to plant banana or cocoa palm trees in 
the fields, as these trees give cool shade, and yet are not 
dense enough to keep off all the warmth of the sun. After 
the berries have ripened, they are picked entirely by hand 
from their resting place along the stalk of the plant, and are 
carried in baskets to the drying place. By the old method, 
that pursued, I believe, by the planters of Yemen in Arabia, 
the berries are first dried with the pulp and parchment on the 

bean 




bean. They are then 
rolled under wooden 
rollers, or pounded in 
a wooden mortar, to re- 
move the outer skin, 
and are winnowed, sized 
and packed without fur- 
ther handling. The cof- 
fee thus prepared is un- 
doubtedly better in 
aroma and flavor, but it 
requires such constant 
attention, is so liable to 
ferment, and presents 
such an uneven appear- 
ance for the market, 
that the process most 
used is almost entirely 
by machinery. 

By this process the 
pulp is first crushed and 
then washed away, to- 
gether with a part of the 
membrane. It is then 
spread on the drying 
floors, which are level 
spaces of cement or 
hard earth, and are al- 
lowed to dry until the 
berries are brittle. It then goes into a husking machine, where 
the parchment skin is loosened and then fanned off, and from 
there into the polishing machine, where the beans are cleaned 
and polished, sometimes by the addition of a teaspoonful of 
powdered charcoal for each hundred pounds. After that it 
passes through a sorting machine, where the sizes are sepa- 
rated, and the black and imperfect beans are picked out by 
hand, this work being done by deft-fingered women and 
girls. It is then packed for the market. Raw coffee is as 
sensitive as milk in the matter of absorbing odors, and the 
best planters take care, therefore, that the ships or cars for its 
transportation are free from any odoriferous substances, else, 

for 




h J^epareo by r« 



The world's luxury is the T & T brand of Coffee. 




for the true lovers of the beverage, it will be utterly spoiled. 

The Republic of Brazil produces more coffee than any 
other two countries; Java coming next, with not more than 
half the total number of pounds that Brazil sends out. Strange 
to say, the favorite coffees in the United States are those 
from Arabia and the East Indies, this country being next to 
Holland, the largest consumer of Java coffee. The most 
valuable Javan product is that which is grown in the valley 
of Mandheling, and bears the name of its growing place. 
Ceylon sends us what is known as Plantation Ceylon which 
is a high grade of coffee, and the culture, that, fifty years ago 
was hardly more than experimental, is now one of the chief 
industries of the island. The soil of Jamaica is admirably 
suited to the cultivation of the plant, and the climate is such 
that it requires little care. The small Republic of Costa 
Rica has become a factor in the production of coffee, prin- 
cipally because of the excellence of the grades produced 
there. It is said, indeed, that the Costa Rica coffees are in 
as great demand in Europe as are those of Mocha. 

The Brazilian trade practically dates from 1820, the export 
in that year being about 100,000 bags. At the present writ- 
ing the annual export from Brazil is in the neighborhood of 
10,000,000 bags, a large proportion of which goes to Europe. 

" Coffee," to quote an eminent authority, " will thrive in 
almost any place where frost is unknown. While the best 
results are obtained between the elevations of 1,500 and 5,000 
feet above sea level, yet the trees have been known to yield 
crops at both greater and less elevations, the one requisite, 
other than immunity from frost, seeming to be the proper 
amount of moisture. Though the province of Yemen in 
Arabia is close to one of the hottest points on the globe, yet 
it must be remembered that the inwardly sloping hills near 
the Red Sea have their showers, and that the facilities for ir- 
rigation are tolerably good. The coffees of Mocha are, un- 
questionably, the finest in flavor and aroma, the chief objec- 
tion to them being the extreme difficulty of procuring them, 
as the demand is very much greater than the supply. Proper 
care, however, in the curing of both the colossal Costa 
Rican and the Liberian coffees, will produce a berry 
which will compare favorably with that of the Arabian 
peninsula." 



Don't bed 



iscourage 



d 



when you make a mistake, 
the man does not live 
who never made one. 

NO 

mistake has ever been made 

in calling for 

and insisting on getting the 



T. &T. 



BRAND OF 



Roasted Coffee 

Sold only in 2 -lb. sealed cans. 
Ask your grocer for it. 

Thomson & Taylor Spice Co, 

CHICAGO. 



" Early to bed 

and early to rise, 

makes people 
healthy, 
wealthy 
and wise," 

but supplemented with good Coffee 
at each end of the scheme just 
rounds out the excellent plan. The 




T. &T. 




Thot 


BRAND 

IS WHAT YOU NEED. 
IT IS A BLENDED 

\STED COFI 

Sold only in 2=lb. cans. 
Your grocer will supply you 

nson & Taylor Spic< 

CHICAGO. 


<EE 

i Co. 



The Coffee of Coffees is the T & T brand. Sold in cans. 

There are numerous varieties of coffee that are divided 
commercially into two classes— strong and mild. Strong 
coffees include Rio and Santos, both the products of Brazil. 
Rio coffees vary greatly as to size and color of bean, and pos- 
sess a different flavor from all others. Santos coffee comes 
from the southern districts of Brazil, and though milder, 
possesses all the characteristics of Rio. About 75 per cent, 
of the Santos crop finds its market in Europe. 

Though mild coffees embrace all the varities except the 
two mentioned above, many of them are very rank in flavor, 
which, however, is modified by blending with coffees of 
more pleasant taste. 

Of all the mild coffees " Java," grown on the islands of 
Java and Sumatra, as already noted, are best liked in Amer- 
ica. These are called " Fancy Marks," " Interiors," " Samar- 
angs," " Malangs," etc. " Fancy Marks " include Mandheling, 
Ayer-Bangies and Ankola, names derived from the districts 
of their growth. " Interiors " or " Padangs " come from the 
interior of Sumatra. Padang being the port of shipment. 

Singapora Java comes from the vicinity of the port of 
Singapora. Similar coffees are also shipped from Macassar. 
These are held in high favor in England, but their peculiar 
flavor is not liked by American coffee drinkers. 

Maracaibo coffee is the product of Venezuela, S. A., and 
gets its name from the place of shipment. Each district 
produces a different variety, according to soil and climate. 
It is often a good substitute for Java. 

Guatemala coffee comes from Central America, and has a 

peculiar flavor, the cup being strong and of dark color. It 

resembles Mocha in some respects and it is often used for 

blending. It is smooth in flavor, and in 

fe V-~" >k roastin S cracks °pen, showing the white 

hull. 





Brazilian- 

COrFEE-CULTU 

TAKEN','! 
A' GIANT- STRIDE 
IN -THE -LAST 
FIFTY . YEARS 




22 



For after-dinner Coffee use the T & T brand. 




Mexican coffee has been increasing in popularity during the 
last ten years, owing to the improved methods in cultivation 
and curing. This country now produces a bean surpassed 
by but few. The first yield of a Mexican coffee tree culti- 
vated in a suitable location produces from two to four 
ounces of merchantable coffee during the year; the second 
crop yields about twice as much; and the third crop is from 
four to five times as much as the first crop. These figures 
are a fair average. In some of the more favored localities 
the yield per tree after the fourth year is as high as four to 
six pounds. It hot zones the average yield is from eight to 
ten ounces per tree. In Mescalapa, Mexico, one tree, thirty 
years old, has been known to yield forty pounds. These 
latter figures are exceptional and form no basis for the yield 
of a large plantation. One pound of merchantable coffee 
per year is a fair average. 

The life of a coffee tree is about twenty years, during 
which time the yield is about the same each year. Fertile 
soil, favorable climate and good care prolong the period to 
thirty years. 

GROWTH OF THE COFFEE TRADE. 

A glance over the record of the imports of coffee into the 
United States for the past seventy-five years reveals m£ny 
interesting points showing the immense growth in the traffic 
and the variance in the source of supplies. In the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 1821, the total amount of imports was 
21,273,679 pounds drawn from the following countries in 
the amounts mentioned: Europe, 4,681 pounds; West Indies, 
18,857,427 pounds; North America, 1,739 pounds; South 
America, 1,715, 306 pounds; Asia, 6ll,l7l pounds; Africa, 
71,885 pounds; all other countries, 11,450 pounds. The 
foreign exports for that year aggregated 9,387,596 pounds, 
leaving the net imports 11,886,063 pounds. The average 
value of coffee at that time was 20.2 cents per pound, 
which has been exceeded only once during the entire 
period, and that in the following year, 1822, when the aver- 
age price was 21. 1 cents. From that time the value gradually 
declined, until the lowest point (5.4 cents) was reached in 
1848-9. Since then there was a gradual rise, with slight 

fluctuations, 



You will thoroughly enjoy the T & T brand of Coffee. 



23 



fluctuations, until the highest point was very nearly ap- 
proached in 1892, the average value of coffee per pound in 
that year being 20 cents. 

In the year ending June 30, 1896, the total imports were 
580,597,915 pounds. Deduct from this the foreign exports 
leaves the net imports 572,671,840 pounds. This exceeds the 
net imports of 1821 by 560,785,777 pounds. The total im- 
ports for 1896 were made up as follows: Europe, 14,189,294 
pounds; West Indies, 10,502,038 pounds; North America, 
62,618,626 pounds; South America, 467,791,219 pounds; 
Asia, 25,143,551 pounds; Africa, 211,620 pounds; all other 
countries, 2,032,074 pounds. By comparing these figures with 
the amounts given above for the year 1821 it will be seen that 
South America furnished about 80 per cent in 1896, against 
about 8 per cent in 1821, while the West Indian supply has 
decreased from nearly 90 per cent, in 1821 to 2 per cent. 
in 1896. 

The fiscal year showing the largest imports of coffee was 
1895, when the aggregate was 652,000,000 pounds, or 72,000- 
000 pounds greater than the total for 1896. The next larg- 
est imports were in 1892, the figures for that year being 
about 640,000,000 pounds. 

In looking over the tables for the various countries it may 
be discovered that Asia sent us her largest contribution of 
coffee in l88i,the total being 33,887,898 pounds, 
of which amount the Dutch East In- 
dies sent 32,344,823 pounds. 
The exports from South 
America reached their 
greatest extent 





24 



The Coffee that is always uniform is the T & T 




in the fiscal year of 1892, the aggregate being a little 
over 518,000,000 pounds, Brazil furnishing about 453,000,000 
pounds, Venezuela about 53,000,000 pounds and Columbia 
I nearly 12,000,000 pounds. The exports from the latter 
country to the United States were greatest in the last fiscal 
year, 19,228,311 pounds being the amount. The largest ship- 
ments from Venezuela during any one fiscal year were in 
1889, aggregating 63,114,520 pounds, and the tide of Brazil / 
coffee flowing to this country reached its flood in 1892, the 
high water mark being over 453,000,000 pounds, which is 
only about 14,000,000 pounds less than the total imports 
from South America during the fiscal year ending June 30, 
1896. 

The heaviest imports of coffee from North and Central 
America were in 1895, being then 94,188,722 pounds. Cen- 
tral America sent her largest contribution of 58,895,347 
pounds in that year, and Mexico's greatest exports of coffee 
to the United States (38,160.641 pounds) were in 1893. 

Exports of coffee from the West Indies to the United 
States have diminished very greatly within the past sixteen 
years. In 188 1 38,639,982 pounds, of which Hayti furnished 
over 31,000,000 pounds, were shipped, and there has been an 
almost steady decline to 1896, when 10,502,038 pounds were 
brought in. Imports from Cuba have fallen off from 1,359- 
273 pounds in 1866, the highest amount for any one year, to 
only 5,669 pounds in 1896, and shipments from Puerto Rico> 
which aggregated nearly 6,500,000 pounds in 1874. decreased 
to 159,649 pounds in 1896. 




Request your grocer to keep TCr T Coffee. 



25 



CHAPTER III. 




How it is Prepared. 

HEN the pious dervish Hadji 
Omar discovered coffee in the 
wilderness behind Mocha his 
first infusions were cold. Now 
you can make a cold infusion 
of coffee by taking plenty of 
time to it, but the flavor of the berry is not quite so good. 
Doubtless the good dervish experimented, reasoning that 
if the cold decoction was -so good, what must the hot 
one be ? Sometimes there are chilling winds, even in Arabia. 
Yea, there is an Arab proverb which says "if you would 
avoid misfortune, do not let the east wind blow on the 
back of your neck." Doubtless it was during one of these 
east winds that St. Hadji made a hot infusion of the strange 
berries. And then the art was developed, for, while the 
Turks and Arabs have never invented a steam engine, nor 
yet a sewing machine, they are inventive in the matter of 
eating and drinking. 

The method pursued by the Arabians, that which makes 
the most palatable drink, is described by W. G. Palgrave, the 
Oriental traveler, as follows: 

" Without delay the slave begins the preparations for cof- 
fee, setting the largest of the coffee pots (of which there are 
several) about two-thirds full of clear water close by the 
edge of the glowing coal pit, that its contents may be- 
come warm while other operations are in progress. Taking 
a dirty, knotted rag out of a niche in the wall close by, 
and having untied it, he empties out a few handfuls of un- 
roasted coffee, which are placed on a little trencher of 
platted -grass, when all blackened grains or other non- 
homologous substances are picked out. After much cleans- 
ing and shaking the grains are poured into a large open iron 
ladle, which is placed over the mouth of the furnace, stirring 
them carefully round and round until they crackle, redden, 
and smoke a little, but withdrawing them from the heat long 

before 




26 



If you want Good Coffee use T &T brand. 




% PREPARED BYTKE ^ 






before they turn black or charred; after which they are put 
to cool a moment on the grass platter. Drawing between 
his trouserless legs a large stone mortar, with a pit large 
enough to admit the stone pestle, and pouring in the half- 
roasted berries, he proceeds to pound them with wonderful 
dexterity, never missing a blow, till the beans are smashed, 
but not reduced to powder. After these operations, which 
are performed with much seriousness and deliberation, a 
smaller coffee pot is taken in hand, which he fills more than 
half with hot water from the large vessel, and, shaking the 
pounded coffee into it, sets it on the fire to boil, occasionally 
stirring it with a small stick as the water rises, to check 
ebullition and prevent overflowing. Nor is the boiling stage to 
be long or vehement; on the contrary, it is as light as possible- 
In the interim, he takes out of another rag knot a few aro- 
matic seeds called heyl, an Indian product, or a little saffron, 
and, after slightly pounding these ingredients, throws them 
into the simmering coffee to improve its flavor, for such an 
additional spicing is held indispensable in Arabia. Sugar 
would be a totally unheard-of profanation. Last of all he 
strains off the liquor through some fibres of the inner 
palm-bark placed for that purpose in the jug spout, and gets 
ready the tray of delicate parti-colored grass, and the small 
coffee cups ready for pouring out." Needless to say there 




(^oming events 

cast their shadows before," 



and the unprecedented 
demand for the . . . 



T. &T. 



BRAND OF 



Roasted Coffee 



PROVES THAT IT IS DESTINED TO BE- 
COME THE MOST POPULAR BRAND 
IN AMERICA. SEE THAT YOUR GRO- 
CER GIVES IT TO YOU. 



Sold in 2- lb. cans only. 



Thomson & Taylor Spi ce C°- 

Chicago. 



IF YOU ARE A LOVER 

OF 

GOOD COFFEE 



TRY A 2-LB. CAN OF THE 



T.&T. 



BRAND OF 



Roasted Coffee 

Your table will be incomplete with- 
out it. Insist on your grocer 
keeping it in stock. 

Thomson & Taylor Spice Co. 

CHICAGO. 



Include in the grocery list the T & T brand of Coffe 



29 



is no milk with this coffee, and the cups are about the size 
of egg shells. The method of pounding it in a mortar is 
undoubtedly superior to that of grinding in a mill. 

Soyer's method of making coffee is as follows: Put two 
ounces of ground coffee into a stew-pan, which set upon the 
fire, stirring the coffee round with a spoon until quite hot, 
then pour over a pint of boiling water; cover it closely for 
five minutes, pass it through a cloth, warm again and serve. 

Perhaps no nation on earth is so successful at getting up 
special dishes of coffee as are the French. Cafe-au-lait is 
made by taking a quarter of a cup of the strong black in- 
fusion, and adding three-quarters of a cup of boiled milk. 
Cafe-au-la-creme is made by adding boiled cream in less pro- 
portion to strong clear coffee and then heating, but not 
boiling them together. 

The South Americans seldom use both cream and sugar in 
their coffee. Some prefer it with cream, and some with 
sugar, but few think the combination a pleasant one. They 
drink it very strong, and not nearly so much of it as we of 
the north do, though doubtless they get more of the coffee. 

One of the most important points in the making of good 
coffee is the proper roasting. Some connoisseurs wash 
the berries before roasting and dry them before a slow 
fire. One of the requisites is that the coffee 
should be even in color. There is a difference 
in opinion as to the degree of color, some con- 
tending that the berry needs only a tinge of 
light brown, others maintaining that it should 
be as dark as it can be roasted without 
burning. However that is, it is true that 
too little attention is paid to this most 
important part of the process. An 
eminent authority says that the great 
trouble with most people 
outside of the coffee growing 
countries is that they use 
too little coffee, and that 
poorly 





30 



For afternoon Coffee use the T&T brand. 




poorly roasted. While raw coffee improves with exposure 
to the air, roasted coffee deteriorates very rapidly. 

The commercial value of coffee is determined by the 
amount of the aromatic oil, caffeine, which developes in 
it by the process of roasting. Roasting is an operation of 
the greatest nicety, and one, moreover, of a crucial nature, 
for equally by insufficient and by excessive roasting much 
of the aroma of the coffee is lost; and its infusion is neither 
agreeable to the palate nor exhilarating in its influence. 

The essentials in roasting coffee are: First. — that the oper- 
ation be performed quickly, so that the berry be not baked 
to a toughness, instead of being crisp. Second. — That the 
operation be in the most intense heat possible, in order to 
develop the greatest amount of caffeine, the oil which gives 
to the coffee its flavor and aroma. Third. — That the berries 
be kept in constant motion, so that every one may be equally 
roasted, for an unevenly roasted lot of coffee will not have 
a good flavor. Fourth. — That the operation be so carried on 
that it may be watched without exposing the half-roasted 
berries to the cooling air. 

Properly roasted coffee increases in flavor and appearance, 
this being due to the chemical action of the heat on the 
structure of the berry. Evenly roasted, your cup of coffee 
always has the same flavor, and you always know what you 
are drinking. If you are a true coffee-lover, you always 
want your particular kind of coffee, and it must be made 
properly. 

Some years ago an eminent Englishman, who was one 
of these true coffee-lovers, conceived the idea that if 
he could roast his coffee in the flame, he could do it more 
equally, more quickly, and with better results in 
preserving the flavor. He therefore began experimenting, 
and the results of his experiments are seen in what is 
now known as the P. P. C. Gas Coffee Roaster. In this 
connection he says: " I am sure that the invention 
supplies a needed perfect roaster. I have tasted coffee made 
from that roasted in the ordinary way, and then had some of 
the same coffee roasted in the P, P. C. Gas Coffee Roaster. 
The result was surprising, for with the latter coffee the qual- 
ity seemed to have been advanced almost an entire grade. In 

fact" 



Your friends will praise your Coffee if you use T &T, 



31 



"fact, the improved method seems to get the true value out of 
the berry, a fact that will hardly be believed until the reader 
has had some of the coffee he usually uses, roasted in this 
new way. 

Briefly, the P. P. C. Gas Roaster is a large iron cylinder* 
fitted inside with a series of wheels or fans, which keep the 
coffee in motion, throwing it through a large flame of gas 
which is injected into the cylinder from the rear. The cof- 
fee is placed in a hopper in the top, and passes through, be- 
coming thoroughly and properly roasted in about ten min- 
utes. At the front of the machine is an automatic sampler, 
which displays about a tablespoonful of the coffee after each 
passage through the flame, thus keeping the roasting man 
posted on the condition of things inside the machine. 

This sample of coffee may be taken from the sampler, but 
unless removed, it is automatically sent back into the in- 
terior again. 

There is no doubt in my mind that this invention — we 
may almost call it a discovery — will prove of a great benefit 

to" 




32 



The most delicous Coffee is the T&T brand. 




"to the drinkers of coffee. We drink a great deal, and we 
ought to have as much of the active principle of the berry 
as we can get. When the coffee is roasted by the old 
method, it is practically baked, and the process is a long one, 
during which the oil caffeine has an opportunity to volatil- 
ize, a most undesirable thing. With perfect roasting, 
quick and even, the oil, as well as the invaluable anti-febrile 
principles of coffee, developes to its proper and most useful 
extent, and the drink becomes much more invigorating and 
healthful. The use of the P. P. C. Roaster is not confined 
to any one brand or to any particular brands of coffee; all 
kinds are vastly improved by its use. In fact, the flavor of 
first grade Mandheling Java is improved almost to that of 
the famed Mocha, which is so hard to obtain. 

You who drink coffee, and who buy it ready roasted, as 
the mass of people do in these times, take the advice of one 
who loves coffee better than anything which he eats or 
drinks, ask your grocer for coffee roasted by the new pro- 
cess. T&T brand put up in cans is the best. If he hasn't 
it, suggest to him that he get it from his jobber, and the gain 
in the increase in consumption which must surely follow 
the roasting of coffee in this way, will pay him tenfold. Cof- 
fee is the nectar of Jove, so why should not such a godlike 
drink be properly prepared ? " 



ALWAYS 
DRINK . . 



THE 

T. & T. BRAND 



M. B. HILLY . . . 
BOOKLET WRITER 
CHICAGO .... 





THE P. P. C. GAS ROASTING PLANT OF T 
Where the famous T £ 




•MSON & TAYLOR SPICE CO., CHICAGO, 
i of Coffee is roasted. 



DEC 29 



1898 



ft SIiIii 

0020950 016 






S*a| 







